Effectiveness of simulation-based case studies on knowledge acquisition and clinical judgment in undergraduate nursing students

Background: The development of clinical judgment and nursing knowledge are essential in nursing. However, new graduate nurses do not possess the knowledge and clinical judgment needed to provide safe nursing care. Therefore, nurse educators must find ways to promote the development of clinical judgment and knowledge in nursing students.Objectives: To examine the effectiveness of simulation-based case studies as a classroom teaching strategy versus traditional lecture on the development of knowledge acquisition and clinical judgment in undergraduate nursing students.Design: Quasi-experimental two-group, pretest-posttest study. Setting: The study was conducted at a public university in the South-Central region of the United States. Participants: A total of 120 students enrolled in a medical-surgical course over two semesters. Methods: Students in the control group (n = 54) attended a traditional lecture while students in the experimental group (n = 66) participated in simulation-based case studies. A knowledge quiz and the Lasater Clinical Judgment Rubric were completed before and after exposure to the teaching strategy. Data were analyzed using independent samples t-tests.Results: There was a significant increase in the knowledge quiz scores found in the experimental group. However, there was not a significant difference found in clinical judgment scores in the experimental group. There was a significant increase in knowledge and clinical judgment scores in both groups.Conclusion: Both attendance in traditional lecture and participation in simulation-based case studies in the classroom are effective in increasing knowledge and clinical judgment scores in undergraduate nursing students.